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Apple's trouble with getting a wide array of its users, retail partners, and banks to adopt Apple Pay has been highlighted in a new article today by The Wall Street Journal, which also underlines a belief from Apple executives that the service's growth is adequate and that Apple Pay could soon become consumers' "primary payment system," in lieu of cash and credit cards.

Data collected from technology research firm Creative Strategies reported that 40 percent of U.S. consumers have raised concerns about security risks of adding a credit or debit card onto their iPhone, while more than 60 percent aren't even familiar with contactless payments.

While data from a recent Nilson Report noted that Apple Pay's rate of acceptance has "more than doubled since 2015," only a third of stores based in the U.S. have accepted it as a form of payment. Many well-known companies have rolled out support for the service, including Best Buy and Whole Foods, but there remain notable absences from Apple Pay's retail supporter list, namely Target and Wal-Mart.

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Braden More, the head of partnerships and industry relations at Wells Fargo, asked, "If you can't use it everywhere, why are you going to switch?" This reticence by consumers to jump in on Apple Pay's launch is said to have permeated within the company surrounding its debut, to the point where Apple executives "were reluctant to promote it." Apple Pay has been noticeably absent from the company's advertising strategy since its launch, with just two Apple Pay-focused commercials being made in nearly three years.
More recently, the company has become less concerned with Apple Pay's slow adoption over the past few years, because it still sees the mobile wallet as a nascent service whose domination over the industry will come with time. "Does it matter if we get there in two years, three years [or] five years?" Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue said in an interview. "Ultimately, no." Cue compared Apple Pay's adoption as faster than other mobile wallets and thinks it could go so far as to replace cash, debit and credit cards as a primary payment system.

Until that happens, Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey is working on beefing up the company's retail training so that users aren't more knowledgable of paying with the service than employees. The company is said to be working with retailers to add Apple Pay instructions into work manuals as a way to spread knowledge of the mobile wallet's check-out process.

Apple Pay made $30 million for the company in the last fiscal year, accounting for a small portion of Apple's total services business, which made $24.35 billion in total in the same period. While adoption is low and consumer knowledge remains slim, Apple's services business -- which includes iCloud, the App Store, iTunes, and more -- has become a point of focus for the company, so much so that it expects to double its revenue in this area by 2021, Apple Pay expectedly included.

For this reason, David Roberts of Nilson said that Apple Pay is right on the cusp of a wider, "ubiquitous" acceptance.
Notably, the rest of 2017 is a big year for Apple and Apple Pay, as the year marks the three-year anniversary of Apple Pay, as well as the end of three-year contract agreements that the company made with banks and credit card issuers back in 2014. Apple will begin negotiations to renew these contracts for the next few years, which the company hopes to be a major contributing factor in helping to double its services revenue over the next four years.

Article Link: Apple Not Worried About Apple Pay's Slow Adoption, Believes on Path to Replace Cash and Cards
Why would any Canadian use Apple pay when our VISA/Master Cards have Blue Tooth so you just tap them to paid for most items. Things are changing. Both India and China are outlawing cash. 5-year-olds use their own VISA cards.
 
Works great in the UK, nearly all shops now have contactless which accept Apple Pay by default.

Here in the States its a bit of a mess. All places now have been updated with the ability to accept contactless payment but its a small adaption rate for those that actually process apple pay transactions. You have to ask if they take it. I try to use it as much as possible, its great.
 
I use it all the time in the UK. Can't remember the last time I used cash. It really comes into its own with Apple Watch (and, yes, even 2 years in I still get people amazed in the pub when buying a pint: "hey, he just paid with his watch!")
 
Why don't we see stickers everywhere that say "Apple Pay Accepted Here"? Why aren't they being more aggressive with their marketing? Why aren't they pushing for Digital IDs so the wallet truly can be a relic of the past?
Good points. Stores have those stickers in their windows showing which credit cards they accept. They ought to add stickers for the electronic payment systems they accept so you never have to ask and you'll know when you enter the store.
 
Same here. Was at a restaurant that was using square and I had to show them how to do it. Used it twice today. I am using my iPhone more than my watch now, except for vending macines.
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I only use vending machines that take Apple Pay.
I have yet to see a vending machine that takes Apple Pay. I'd imagine they have them in metropolitan and some suburban areas. Plus, unless the vending machine out in the middle of nowhere can have an internet connection, cash will still work. It's easier to find electricity than connectivity.
 
I have yet to see a vending machine that takes Apple Pay. I'd imagine they have them in metropolitan and some suburban areas. Plus, unless the vending machine out in the middle of nowhere can have an internet connection, cash will still work. It's easier to find electricity than connectivity.

The vending machines that take cards generally have a cell connection, at least around here.
 
I understand, but my point is I'm offered sufficient protections with my chip enabled card that is easier to use.
There is absolutely nothing faster or easier than double tapping my watch and touching it to the reader. It works everywhere in London, even pop-up coffee kiosks have contactless readers. I've been using it daily since launch for all purchases under £30.
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Does this mean that bums will now need to carry Apple Pay devices to pander? Sweet.
I feel sorry for people begging in London. I'm always like.. it's 2017, this is London. Most people haven't done cash for years. I can't even remember the last time I handled cash.
 
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Why would any Canadian use Apple pay when our VISA/Master Cards have Blue Tooth so you just tap them to paid for most items.

A) Because it's much faster to pull out my iPhone or use my Apple Watch to pay than it is to find a credit or debit card in my wallet, and B) because it's far more secure as well.
 
Why would any Canadian use Apple pay when our VISA/Master Cards have Blue Tooth so you just tap them to paid for most items. Things are changing. Both India and China are outlawing cash. 5-year-olds use their own VISA cards.

BEcause you don't need your card, and your not giving transaction info to the store with Apple way and eventually you can even link your loyalty card to one (or many cards) and not even have to fiddle with them (the store would then have your transaction info again, but in this case it would be your choice to give it for benefits).

Pretty sure they have NFC, not blue tooth. NFC is what Apple use. In fact, if NFC is enabled Apple pay will likely work.
 
I was reluctant to setup Apple Pay when I got my iPhone 6s last fall but after begrudgingly setting it up a few weeks after I got the phone I became an instant convert. Compared the the half-baked chip & pin system the US adopted that is interminably slow and less secure it is head and shoulders better. And while I love Apple Pay and use when I can the problem is most of the stores I shop at don't accept it. As much as I like Apple Pay I'm not going to change my shopping habits just because one merchant accepts Apple Pay and the other doesn't.
 
I have had ny cards un AP for about six months and still have never used it yet.

I've also had my cards in Samsung pay on my S7 Edge and have used it three times but I haven't used that in the last few months even tough I can, I just don't. I still prefer to insert my card and pay that way or with cash.
 
It takes have a second to see if it works. quicker than pulling out a card, especially chip cards.


How so? I also don't shop at places that only take cash, because I don't like to carry cash. Is that also petty?

One is out of an inability to pay, the other is out of a minor inconvenience.
 
I like to use it, and do whenever I can. However, I can only get to Apple Pay by double-clicking from a blacked out phone. If I do it too soon after the phone blacks out, I get the notifications screen.

So, if I can't get it to come up right away, then I can't get to it at all so I just put the phone in my pocket and chip or slide my physical card.

Bummer.
 
Curious how the MR summary doesn't note that only an estimated 13% of iPhone users (regardless of country of residence) have even activated Apple Pay. If that is indeed the case, it would seem that the standard MR responses ("Stupid Americans," "Lazy vendors," and of course "something something metric system!") wouldn't apply quite as well as perhaps, "Ignorant / lazy / etc. iPhone users," considering they are the only ones who can use Apple Pay.

As has been quite well-voiced in this thread and countless others, retail cashiers often do not understand the "pay with your phone" concept even if the register is equipped to handle it, so as a user, one might as well try. And if it doesn't work - ask. That would be "customer feedback" which, if heard enough, might make it to management's ears. But that's something that would be up to the iPhone user only. Apparently Samsung users, for example, don't need proprietary system adoption at retailers to use their pay-by-phone method.

But in keeping with the common anecdotal discussion, I'm currently test-driving an iPhone SE after years of Android phones. The first place I tried Apple Pay was earlier today at a local privately owned hardware store. It worked nicely, much to the delight of the cashier. Unfortunately, Apple has been unable to work out an agreement with the bank of my preferred credit card (with excellent cash-back benefits) so that is certainly being added to the "CON" side of my reasons to keep or return the iPhone. So in my case, it was neither the user nor the retailer, but Apple and/or the bank, which may or may not utilize the metric system.

I use it all the time in the UK. Can't remember the last time I used cash. It really comes into its own with Apple Watch (and, yes, even 2 years in I still get people amazed in the pub when buying a pint: "hey, he just paid with his watch!")

Wouldn't it be, "oi?" ;)
 
Curious how the MR summary doesn't note that only an estimated 13% of iPhone users (regardless of country of residence) have even activated Apple Pay. If that is indeed the case, it would seem that the standard MR responses ("Stupid Americans," "Lazy vendors," and of course "something something metric system!") wouldn't apply quite as well as perhaps, "Ignorant / lazy / etc. iPhone users," considering they are the only ones who can use Apple Pay.

Well, part of the low number is due to the fact that Apple Pay is still available only in a handful of countries. For example here in Finland NFC payment terminals are practically everywhere, but we still can't register any bank's cards for Apple Pay. So for me it's an "I would if I could" scenario.
 
Well, part of the low number is due to the fact that Apple Pay is still available only in a handful of countries. For example here in Finland NFC payment terminals are practically everywhere, but we still can't register any bank's cards for Apple Pay. So for me it's an "I would if I could" scenario.

Ah - well, I do suppose that contributes somewhat. What's the delay about? Germany is a big Apple market, it's not an option there I think. South Korea too. I don't know what kind of market penetration does Apple have in Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia - all big cell phone consumers. But like India, I assume that iPhones are rare luxury items in those countries. I doubt Finland is one of Apple's big cash cows, based on population size, maybe that explains the slow start. Nevertheless, that's an awfully big handful you're talking about that can use AP: USA, UK, Canada and the UK for a while now with China, Russia, Japan, France, and quite a few others, although these have had only this option within the last 12 months. But what is taking all of them so long? It only takes about 2 minutes...
 
Never again will I wave my watch at the terminal only for it not to work and a line of people standing behind me shaking their head.
 
Ah - well, I do suppose that contributes somewhat. What's the delay about? Germany is a big Apple market, it's not an option there I think. South Korea too. I don't know what kind of market penetration does Apple have in Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia - all big cell phone consumers. But like India, I assume that iPhones are rare luxury items in those countries. I doubt Finland is one of Apple's big cash cows, based on population size, maybe that explains the slow start. Nevertheless, that's an awfully big handful you're talking about that can use AP: USA, UK, Canada and the UK for a while now with China, Russia, Japan, France, and quite a few others, although these have had only this option within the last 12 months. But what is taking all of them so long? It only takes about 2 minutes...
Well, basically it comes down to the missing contracts between banks and Apple, and it's hard to say which party is to blame in each country that's still missing Apple Pay. It's true that Finland isn't too large a market with our population, but iPhones are common enough here and the payment infra is ready too, so either Apple is dragging their feet or the banks don't like the terms. Hard to say which one it is, but it sucks for the end user all the same.
 
Why don't we see stickers everywhere that say "Apple Pay Accepted Here"? Why aren't they being more aggressive with their marketing? Why aren't they pushing for Digital IDs so the wallet truly can be a relic of the past?

Why isn't Apple being more aggressive with any of their newer services? They roll something out and let it stay as-is for the imminent future. I love using Apple Pay and Apple Music, but Apple doesn't push them anywhere near far enough as they should to become the industry standards.
 
Why isn't Apple being more aggressive with any of their newer services? They roll something out and let it stay as-is for the imminent future. I love using Apple Pay and Apple Music, but Apple doesn't push them anywhere near far enough as they should to become the industry standards.

Strategically, the best time to make a strong unified push for Apple Pay could be the next time a huge credit card fail occurs, resulting in many people reconsidering how they want to pay in the future, and many merchants reconsidering what alternative payment forms they wish to accept to accommodate changing attitudes.
 
Strategically, the best time to make a strong unified push for Apple Pay could be the next time a huge credit card fail occurs, resulting in many people reconsidering how they want to pay in the future, and many merchants reconsidering what alternative payment forms they wish to accept to accommodate changing attitudes.

Except that breaches seem to happen so often now that I'm not sure anyone really cares much anymore when one gets on the news.
 
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